Capsule



' Aug. 21, 1945.

J. J. CURRY CAPSULE Filed March 17, 1345 FIGA FiC:

FlG.3

FIG.7

INVENTOR. JOHN J. CURRY ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 21, 1945 UNIT-ED STATES PATENT OFFICE" CAPSULE e John J. curry, Philadelphiap l a. h Appncaticnmi'ch 17, 1943, seems. 479,449 1 p mam. (cra e-47 The present :ainvention. concerns itself with capsules of the duplex-type; As indicated by the particular This is one: of

tion anda subsidiary sectionythe subsidiary section being provided with, an open end telescopically received'over one end of. the main section, two cha'mbers provided in said capsule, said chambers communicating through an aperture, and means actuated by; moving the two sections relative toxeach other to close and open the aperl turebetween the chambers at will. 1

tion, and lends itself especially .well for. the

specific disclosure of. the invention required by the patent statutes. t t

The. preparation of amalgams constitutes a large proportionaoi the dentists work. Unfortunately, amalgams 1.must be prepared. fresh;-

hence they cannotbecprepared in advance either;

by thelindividualsjdentist :or the dentalsupply houses; Prior :.towthis invention, the dentist had tomeasure out the necessaryquantities of mer-' cury andametalipowder and comminute or triturate. themLtogether in a mortar and pestle; The weighing out of the, ingredients has to be done very carefully'iand the comminuting has to be done very rapidly. Otherwise thereIis oonsiderable waste of materials and the amalgam doesnot contamthe proper proportionsfora desired filling. The metalupowder is usually measured out on an accurateibalance, and the mercury may be measured out from amercury dropper .jar, whichdispenses. arpredetermined quantity of. mercury in .eachdrop. .The comminutingtmay be done inahand operated mortar and pestle. or in.-.an electrioal= device. a One form of-=electrical device has a vibrating arm adapted to hold a'small gelatin capsule containing the two ingredients :tobe mixed. l

- 'Ihe-principal object of the invention is to provide a duplex capsule adapted to contain 'thein- In its very essence, the capsule of the invention consists of two tubular sections, which, for convenience, may be referred to as a main secthe preshown in separated relation;

"Figure 3 ss-cross-seaon substantially on line ll- 2"ofFigural,Ithebodyportion of the capsule and the "side arm theife f each containing" one of the ingredientstobe mixed, and the aperture in'the body porti n being out of register with the side arm; l

rhfigure 4 is asimilar View, withthe exception that the aperture in thebod'y portion is in registen with the side arm, and'thef two ingredients are contained nane body, portion oi the capsule;

Fi ure5isalperspectiveview ofithe second embb imsi t fi em s Y Figure Shis a cross-section taken substantially on line fififo f'Figureb, thetwo sections being shown separatedirelation;

.Figurefl, .is 'a crossfsecti n on line, 6-6 of Figureajthe two sctionsof the capsule each containing'one of the, ingredientsto be mixed, and the apertures in the two sections being out of register; and, j V t Figure 8 is a longitudinalcross-section through the caps'ule standing' 'on end, the apertures in the two jsectionsbeingin.register, and the two ingredients being contained the main section."

Referringriow', ingreaterdetail to the embodi me'nt of the invention shownin Figures 1 to 4 inclusive, the reference numerals l and 2 designate two tubularsections of a capsule, which may advantageously be made of a transparent plastic material such as gelatin, Cellophane, cellulose acetate, acrylic resin, etc.

The section I, which may be considered the main section, has a closed end and an open end,

as in the case of conventional types of capsules. The section 2, which may be considered as the subsidiary section, also has an open end and a closed end, and is telescopically received over the open end of the main section. The main section is provided on its periphery as shown with an aperture 3. v

The section or cap 2 is provided with a side arm l extending substantially at right angles to the length of the capsule. The side arm communicates with the section 2 through an opening 5. The aperture 3 in the main section I is about the same size as the opening 5, and is so placed on the periphery of the main section as to be adapted to -be brought into and out of registration with "the opening 5, by turning the two sections relative to each other, or by slidably moving the'sections. been found preferable to accomplish this function by turning rather than by slidably moving the sections in respect to each other..

In actual practice, it has In Figure 3, the two sections are shown po'siis adapted to contain one of the two ingredients, 1

in thistcasezmercury I-1g), and-the. main chamber isadapted. to. contain .the other. ingredient,. in this I case metallic powderhtMl .The: two materials are. preferably measured out very accurately; so that when they are broughtitogether they willzbe inlthe. exact proportions to; make a dentalamalgam fora-filling of predetermined size. l

To bring the ingredients of the. amalgam together,.it is merely necessary to rotate thesection I in. reference to-the sectionz thereby bringing the aperture 3-into registrationlwiththe opening 5; I he two sections of; the, capsule may be of.

contrasting colors, so as-tofacilitate bringing! the,

opening and aperture into registration I Figure 4; illustratesthecapsule when the opening and aperture. are in registration. The in-- gradient contained in the side arm 4, in this case; mercury, falls through the alined openings "into the mainchamber, coming into contact with the second ingredient, in thiscase'metalli-c powder.- The two ingredients can now be mixed together inany desiredor suitable manner. Onepa'rticularly suitable way is tolpl'ace the capsule ma;

mechanical mixer or mortanlpreierably provided with an automatic timing device. Hence, itfjis unnecessary for the deiitistIt'o open 'thefcaps'ule untilthe mixing'is complete. v H

The embodiment illustrated in Figures '5' to 8 differs from the preferred embodiment in detail of construction; This embodiment consists" "of two telescopic sections I 0 and' II, thesection I0 being the main body" portion and the section 'I I beingia cap or closure'for the main section. V

The mainsection is provided atone' end with a partition I2, in which there is a hole or aperture I3. .The section II is provided with a partition I4 near the closed end'thereof, forming a subsidiary chamber I5. The partition I4 is provided with an aperture or opening I6.

As shown in Figures 5, '7 and 8, the section II fits over the end of the section ID with the two partitions I2 and I6 in direct contact. The two sections are adapted to be turned relative to each other so;thatthe.openings=--I-2. andv l6 are either out of; register aSj ShOWII- in Figure 7,,or in register as shown in Figure 8. The two sections of the -capsule may be provided with the cooperating indentations I1 and I8 to prevent accidental or unintentional rotation of the two sections.

7 The capsule of the second embodiment may be made of the same materials as the preferred embodiment} o In Figure '7, the two sections of the capsule are shown with-the apertures I 2 and I6 in non-registering position?! Asashown the' Lcapsule. has. two separate;ichambers'a main: chamber extending through the: main. section: I50: aridv part: of: the sec tion; ItIt. and a. subsidiary 1 chamber. I 5 in one: end of. the-section I:I..' The main. chamber may: containu one of the ingredients, in this? case metallic powder M, and thezsubsidiary chamberxmaycomtain the other ingredien'tyin 'thisucase mercury (Hg).

To. bring the two: ingredientsi together; the capsuletis: stoodion end withthe subsidiary compaiitment 1 5r uppermost';.'and. the section. I I' is. rotated or turned tobrin'gthe:apertures I52: andz Iii into" registrationi or alinement; The: mercury" willlfall through the alined openings intorthermain: compartment. The capsulemay thenlbeiagitatedlas in a mechanical mixer, to-produ'ceaa thorough. admixture'ofr the two ingredients? a From: the. foregoing. description. of theinvemtion', it is thought to be clearrthat llhavaprovi'ded' a duplex capsule, which possesses: many desirable features of. structure andxadvantage; and: which is susceptible of modification. iniits. fomn,:propor-- tions, detail construction and: arrangement oil part-swithout departingfrom th'e' underlying concept of the inventioniand; without sacrificing-any of its advantages; T I 5 I 'I.claim y v Al :capsule consisting; of: a main tubular'section and-at subsi'di'ary' tubulan section, each section beingprovided:with arrerrdzwall andi an opemend, the: :peripheny; of. thei-maim section being: provided: with an apertura the. subsidiary."sectiorrbeing provided withl'arside arm communicating withatlresubsidiary section; the-open end of the: subsidiary. section being: telescopically received: over the open Bndof .themain: section; the twoi sections being: adapted tol be: movedIim-respect to each othertso as to bring the apertureri'nzthermainrsection'intorand out of registration :with thexside'iarm 'ofi thei-subsidiary' section. f a

v I :1 JOHN JGWRZY; 

